2005 Mitsubishi Montero Limited Sport Utility 4-door 3.8l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi NA gets new president and CEO

Last week, we told you that Mitsubishi will be getting a new global president, with Osamu Masuko stepping aside in favor of Tesuro Aikawa. The executive changes at the Japanese automaker are hitting closer to home, now, with official word that Mitsubishi Motors North America is getting a new president and CEO, as well. Effective March 1, Ryujiro Kobashi will take over for Yoichi Yokozawa, 49, who has been in charge since April of 2011. Yokozawa is headed back to Japan, where he will assume a spot in the company's corporate planning offices.
Kobashi, 53, has been with Mitsubishi since 1983 when he was fresh out of college. Previous to taking the top job in North America, he was installed as corporate general manager of the NA office at Mitsubishi's headquarters in Japan, where he coordinated regional operations for the US, Canada and Mexico. Before that, he held posts in planning, marketing, advertising and public relations for the company.
Kobashi takes over the company's North American operations at a pivotal time, when the region is finally showing signs of life after a prolonged period of stagnation. As Automotive News notes, Mitsubishi only sold 62,227 vehicles in the US in 2013, but that figure still represents an eight-percent increase. Its crossovers, the new-for-2014 Outlander and the two-year-old Outlander Sport have been selling relatively well, and the affordable Mirage subcompact is a new arrival at dealers.

Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru expand global Takata recalls by 715k [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Subaru of America spokesperson Michael McHale tells Autoblog that the company is recalling 78,000 Imprezas from the 2004 and 2005 model years in the US. This is a national expansion of the company's previous regional recall for the Impreza. The Takata airbag inflator recall just keeps growing. The latest expansion encompasses 715,000 vehicles from Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. Many of the affected models are in Japan. The largest expansion from these three automakers comes from Mitsubishi. According to Reuters, the company is adding 100,000 vehicles in Japan and 412,000 outside of the country without identifying any specific regions. Mazda is issuing safety campaigns for 112,000 vehicles in Japan, and some of these include models that the company produces there for Mitsubishi and Nissan, according to Reuters. In statement to Autoblog (embedded below), Mazda said that it is still evaluating the situation in terms of a possible effect on the US. Finally, Subaru is calling in 91,000 Imprezas in Japan. At this time, it isn't clear whether Mitsubishi's or Subaru's expansions affect the United States, but Autoblog has reached out to them for more information. According to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, exposure to moisture can cause the propellant in these inflators to ignite too quickly and cause these dangerous ruptures. Takata has also been investigating the problem. Related Video: Mazda statement "We are aware of the NHTSA/Takata announcement, and are evaluating the effects of it on Mazda. As soon as we have had a chance to fully evaluate the situation – number of vehicles affected, age of those vehicles, where they're located, etc. – we will be able to share those details."

2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV coming in March

For the next incarnation of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle, the Japanese automaker is looking to give a bit more for the sake of selling a few more. It's a simple concept for a pretty simple car. The re-trial run starts next month. The EV's 2016 model-year version will go on sale in the US in March, Inside EVs says. On the face of it, not a lot will change with the four-seater. The car will still deliver 66 horsepower and will still provide a single-charge range of 62 miles. When reached by AutoblogGreen, Mitsubishi confirmed these numbers as well as its MSRP of $22,995, same as the 2014 model (there was no 2015 model-year version). That's the cost before the $7,500 federal tax break kicks in. Still, there is news. The 2016 version will have an optional navigation package that will include a seven-inch touchscreen display as well as real-time traffic data and 3D mapping. Folks can also pay a little more for touches such as a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, rear-view camera and USB port, according to Mitsubishi. The company hopes these changes will spur near-dormant sales of the model, which made its US debut in 2011. Last year, Mitsubishi sold just 196 units of the i, down from 1,029 in 2013. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mitsubishi i-MiEV News Source: Inside EVs via Green Car Reports Green Mitsubishi Electric i-miev